A retired educator, historian, writer, blogger, teller of tales including the occasional lie, saltwater angler, traveler, political junkie, technology geek, optimist, pessimist, wanna' be chef, and lover of independent thinkers. 2011 recipient of the Professor Irwin Corey Foremost Authority Award and resident curmudgeon of Worley Mill Rd.
When 78-year-old Bernie Sanders had his recent heart attack I wondered if it would ruin his chances for election. I recalled that in the 1950s Dwight Eisenhower suffered heart problems and he finished out two terms in office. I couldn’t remember if he had experienced his attack during his first or second term.
So, I did a little Googling and learned that the four-pack a day smoker suffered an attack while playing golf in September 1955. He was aged 64 and in June of 1956 announced he would run for a second term.
Do you want someone different leading the US Senate? Well, how about making a small donation to Amy McGrath who is running against Moscow Mitch for his US Senate seat. We just did and hopefully, our small investment will pay dividends for all of America.
Unless you’re brain dead you know there is a huge battle going on between the House of Representatives and the White House. The House is gleaning information (evidence) in an attempt to impeach Donald J. Trump and Donald J. Trump is stonewalling in every way he can.
Traditionally the House could turn to federal prosecutors but since the AG is behaving as if he were Trump’s personal attorney there’s not much chance of resolution via that route.
In the early 1980s, my sister in law’s parents began letting my family and me stay at their Atlantic Beach, NC cottage for a week each year. On our first trip, we discovered Wilber’s BBQ in Goldsboro, NC and to this day it has remained the standard by which we have come to measure pulled pork. Over the years none of us have ever driven along Highway 70 and not stopped at Wilber’s going and coming. Often we would stop just to bring home bottles of his famous vinegar-based sauce and several frozen pounds of his whole-hog hickory-smoked delight.
My old friend Bobby Everhart and I took a quick 4-day run to Emerald Isle, NC for some pier fishing. Early October, in a normal year, would have been a perfect time for catching coolers of spots and sea mullets, both great food fish.
However, these are not normal years and the air temps were in the high 80s and the water temps near summer norms. The result was, we went, we fished, we caught a few dinks, we ate good restaurant seafood, we did a little sightseeing, and we had a wonderful time retelling old stories and making a couple of new ones.
TWEET of GOD: God just tweeted, “THERE are people who think THEIR awful misspellings don’t mean THEY’RE coming across as morons.” Is there an English teacher who didn’t just say, “thank you, Jesus?”
I didn’t get near the photos and video I wanted but here’s what I did get. Mostly its video of the Doxie Derby, which I’m sure had the largest number of entrants in its history. To my wife and it has become a main attraction of the annual gathering. Thanks to Charlie Roman and his crew for making it happen.
Lots of you watched the Ken Burns film, Country Music, and remarked on what you thought was omitted. My number one pick was the omission of anything to do with Johnny Paycheck.
At the recent Oktoberfest, I was talking with Gary Adams, who played guitar for Paycheck, and he agreed. Gary, arguably, felt there was too much given over to Johnny Cash. But, given that someone as inconsequential as Kinky Friedman at least got his name mentioned, why wasn’t Paycheck mentioned? Also, in the scheme of outlaws and Texas songwriters, why didn’t Billy Joe Shaver get a mention.
For at least the fourth time in our history, the US House of Representatives is investigating a sitting president for impeachable offenses. Besides the official investigation that Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed yesterday against Donald Trump, there was Andrew Johnson in 1868, Richard Nixon in 1973, and Bill Clint 1998. Nixon resigned before his case came to trial in the Senate while the Senate failed to find Johnson and Clinton guilty of the charges.
With yesterday’s decision by Pelosi the question arises, what are impeachable charges? The US Constitution clearly states that the president, the vice president, and all civil officers, may be impeached. Stated impeachable offenses would include “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
CORNROWS: Just in time for the harvest, a little agriculture trivia. A typical ear of field corn has 16 rows. However, whatever the number it’s always even.
My son introduced me to a very young Taiwanese ukelele player named Feng E. It was a video of him sitting in the back of his mom’s car doing unworldly things with a uke.
The next day I did a search on YouTube and came across this kid playing a 6-string guitar and performing a very complicated number he’d written. I remarked to my son that the boy’s style reminded me of Tommy Emmanuel and my son told me that this kid has appeared on stage with Emmanuel doing the old Mason Williams number, Classical Gas.
I don’t know how long it’s been since any of you have been down these roads but here’s your chance to see what things look like today.
I was headed to the Amish surplus food store on Duff Road and like so often, I opted for the more scenic and less traveled backroads.
This trip began at the west edge of Greenfield and proceeded to Centerfield Road, Bridges Road, SR 771, Small Road, and finally, Duff Road.
By the way, if you’re looking for a great way to stretch your food budget you may want to visit the Dent & Bent on Duff Road. They have an ever-changing inventory of foods that are nearing their “best used by” dates. They’re open daily except for Thursday and Sunday.
MARGARET PHILPOT: “I pledge to never stay at a Trump property or buy a Trump product. Never. And I will not do business with companies who support his candidacy or his policies. That is what I can do and I can do that right now. And next year I pledge to vote #BlueNoMatterWho.”
I’ve always been envious of towns that have their own food trucks and finally Greenfield has its own taco truck. Ed and Heidi Arrington, of Greenfield, have apparently been selling Hawaiian style tacos in Washington Court House and Chillicothe and have decided they’re ready to take on the hometown crowd.
They set up today on Forth Street next to Small Town Fitness and plan to do so every Monday between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. The menu is mostly tacos and quesadillas filled with your choice of beef, pork, or chicken. I’ll include a menu in the photo gallery below.
JESUS RESCUES: The former Trump mouthpiece, Sean Spicer, is appearing on Dancing With the Stars and issued a statement that the judges were against him but Jesus would come to his rescue. Yeah, like Jesus has time to save dudes in frilly sleeved dayglo lime-green shirts!
